In the past year, Creative Skillset”s Craft and Technical Film Fund awarded 68 professionals with £55,000 worth of funding to spend on their professional development. Now, after agreeing to an additional £20,000 in January due to high demand, Skillset announced that the scheme will continue for another year.

The additional funding of £20,000 is running out fast, Skillset has revealed. The Craft and Technical Film Fund is a popular scheme among professionals working in film and TV – especially for freelancers looking to expand their knowledge by following courses suitable to their industry”s changing needs.

While there is still some money left, there is no possibility of responding positively to all the requests still to be made this tax year. It”s for this reason that a spokeswoman for the organisation, Penny Wilkinson, confirmed this morning that the fund would continue to exist for another year. The figure attached to the 2013/2014 fund is yet to be determined.

The fund for training can be called upon by professionals working in film, high end TV drama and documentaries.

Priority is given to those working in the art department who are seeking to enhance their skills, in particular their knowledge of 3D technical drawing tools, such as Rhino and SketchUp.

Wilkinson says: “This is where our research has shown there to be a real knowledge gap. We”re really hoping to support the industry with this fund and fill this gap by making the necessary training more accessible.”

Aside from art department software skills, the fund also supports the professional development of those working in technical and craft departments such as camera, sound, costume & wardrobe, hair and make-up, SFX and editing.

The amount people can apply for depends on a variety of factors but goes up to £800.

For more information on eligibility and how to apply to the Craft and Technical Film Fund, please visit the Creative Skillset website. Alternatively, join Skillset’;s film producer Emily Man at BVE 2013 during the Show Me The Money seminar taking place on Wednesday 27 February 3pm in the Excel Centre.